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From Niagara Falls to San Francisco BEFORE the Golden Gate Bridge: Globe-trotting Victorian aristocrat’s 1870s photo album to auction for up to £7,000
- The images were taken by Sir Arthur Hobhouse while traveling with his wife.
- The album also includes photos of Washington, with the Capitol building in the background.
The photo album of a globe-trotting Victorian aristocrat from an underdeveloped world on the cusp of dramatic change has come to light.
Sir Arthur Hobhouse and his wife traveled through North America and China en route to their destination in India in the 1870s, when the British Empire was at its height.
He brought his camera with him and documented the places the couple visited.
In North America, Hobhouse took photographs of places like Niagara Falls, a Quebec City in ruins in 1876 after a devastating fire, and a packed ice skating hall in Montreal.
There are also early snapshots of Washington DC, Yosemite National Park, and San Francisco before the Golden Gate Bridge was built.
The photo album of a globe-trotting Victorian aristocrat from an underdeveloped world on the cusp of dramatic change has come to light. Sir Arthur Hobhouse and his wife took the opportunity to travel across North America and China en route to their destination in India in the 1870s, when the British Empire was at its height. Above: Niagara Falls
The couple spent time in San Francisco on the East Coast taking this photo of the Golden Gate Strait before the bridge was built.
Among the album’s 69 black-and-white copies is also a striking double-page view of Hong Kong.
Although it was considered a bustling port in the early 1870s, it is a world away from the skyscraper-studded financial metropolis it has become.
Still in Hong Kong, the British couple took the time to visit its famous Happy Valley Racecourse when it only had a few shed-like structures to house spectators.
Today it has seven-story stands with executive boxes that can accommodate 55,000 race attendees.
Among the album’s 69 black-and-white copies is also a striking double-page view of Hong Kong (above).
Although it was considered a bustling port in the early 1870s, it is a world away from the skyscraper-studded financial metropolis it has become.
A single cabin can be seen in this stunning image taken by Hobhouse at the famous Garden of the Gods, named for its rock formations, in Colorado Springs.
Hobhouse and his wife also visited Washington. The Capitol can be seen above, with the city skyline largely cleared by tall buildings.
Another image reveals the devastating damage done to a Quebec city following a fire in 1876
The album, titled America & China, has remained in the Hobhouse family since it was compiled.
It is now for sale at London’s Forum Auctions for an estimated value of £7,000.
Forum Auctions’ Max Hasler said: “It’s a fascinating album and I wouldn’t be surprised if it went a bit more.
“Double page views of Hong Kong Harbor before it was developed are particularly appreciated at the moment.
Sir Arthur Hobhouse is seen above in his 80s. Hobhouse was a lawyer who in the 1870s was appointed a legal member of the council of the Governor-General of India.
Still in Hong Kong, the British couple took the time to visit its famous Happy Valley Racecourse when it only had a few shed-like structures to house spectators.
Hobhouse and his wife also went ice dancing when they were having fun in Montreal.
The couple also visited China on their trip around the world. Above: A bridge spans a river in China, while small wooden boats are seen lining the water.
Montreal, in Canada’s Quebec region, is seen above in another image from the Hobhouse archive.
“This is an amazing snapshot of the city as it was before it underwent a radical change.
“The racetrack image is interesting because you get the exact same view today but with a totally different background.
“It is unusual to see so many photos from around the world on the same trip this time. It’s really lovely in terms of its scope.
“Not many people would have had the wherewithal and wherewithal to go on a world tour at the point where many parts of the world were on the cusp of great change.
“Sir Arthur was a major figure in the British Empire and at that very time he was at his peak before his decline.”
Sir Arthur Hobhouse, of Somerset, was a barrister who in the 1870s was appointed a legal member of the council of the Governor-General of India.
The album will be sold on Thursday.